An enterprise environment includes multiple managed endpoints, such as user workstations, switches, and routers. This enterprise environment is managed by management computers that perform various information technology (IT) tasks on the managed endpoints. For example, a management computer may install software or patches on the managed endpoints, send messages to the managed endpoints, reconfigure the managed endpoints, or receive information describing the configuration or status of the managed endpoints.
Often, performing an IT task requires software support on both the management computer and managed endpoint. Similar IT tasks may need to be performed on several managed endpoints with varying hardware and software configurations. As a result, installing and maintaining the necessary support software on all of the managed endpoints is often a difficult process.
Additionally, the management computer often needs to communicate with the managed endpoints in order to perform IT tasks. A single management computer may be communicating with thousands of managed endpoints. Establishing a new communication channel with a managed endpoint each time a communication is necessary can result in significant overhead, particularly when the management computer attempts to establish communication with multiple managed endpoints that have gone offline.
What is needed are systems and methods for installing and maintaining software on managed endpoints for supporting IT tasks. Also needed are systems and methods for efficiently communicating with managed endpoints to perform IT tasks.